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| source-GSFS |
A very dangerous epidemic is killing 70
lakh people every year, but many people still do not know about it. In fact,
Covid has killed 70 lakh people in the last 4 years. And the whole world declared it a global
threat and started trying to eliminate it. This killer is killing 70 lakh people every
year and no one is even affording housing on it. WHO has also been warning us about this for
the last decade. Every year about 70 lakh people die
naturally at a very young age despite there being no accidental
causes of any kind. They die suddenly out of the blue, and they get some fatal disease They die at an early age, about 55% of people die from heart failure, 21% of people are dying from
respiratory infection and 24% of people are dying from lung diseases. Apart from all this, in some rare
cases, people are also suffering from brain-damaging disorders like Alzheimer's
due to which they are dying. Now to find out the reason behind these premature
deaths. When WHO studied the home environment of
some of them, they found out that there was one thing absolutely
common in all their houses, all of them were those houses where either the
stove or Either the food was being cooked on a
kerosene stove, which means the reason for his death was the air of an ordinary
house which was slowly eating away at him from within and he died before time This research directly turned the needle of
danger towards us because recently the list of top 50 most air polluted cities
of the world has come out Of those, 42 cities were from India alone.
Out of the top 50 cities, 42 Indian cities can you believe that and among them,
Delhi is the best city in the whole world. It has become the pollution capital
of the whole world and that too for many years continuously.
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| Source- GSFS |
That is, the global trend that we saw in
the beginning of premature deaths, that 70 lakh people are dying every year, and the maximum number of people dying among them are Indians. But
now the question arises how bad is the situation? Well, to find out this,
recently some researchers in India made some artificial lungs which worked
exactly like our lungs and placed them in top polluted cities of India like
Lucknow, Bangalore, Delhi, Varanasi and you know within 24 hours they saw that
those artificial lungs were slowly turning black and in Delhi within 3 days
they turned completely black, followed by Lucknow 5 days, Bangalore 18 days and
so on. This means that it takes one year for this to happen in the lungs of a
frequent smoker as well. This is happening by spending a few days in these
cities, that too without smoking a single cigarette in life. To validate this
experiment, we also added the data of some cancer clinics and found out that a
few decades ago, all the lung cancer patients who came to these clinics were
mostly smokers. But today the game has completely changed. Today, out of all
the lung cancer patients who come, more than 50% of them are all patients.
There are non-smokers who have never touched a cigarette even once in their
entire life. My own maternal grandfather never touched a cigarette in his life.
He died of lung cancer. He used to live in the Parel area of Mumbai. There was
a factory in the area. The pollution level was very high, but at that
time there was so much education about it, but you know what, it is a matter of
concern that today the situation has become worse, in today's time, every
non-smoker Indian
So what changed in India in the last 10-20 years
that the air quality here has become worse than possible and today it has
become India's number one killer and what about those people?
Those people who live outside these major
metropolitan cities are totally safe or are they also knowingly exposing
themselves to these risks as we saw in the case of Chule? Well, for the answers
to these questions.
First of all, we have to understand what is the
difference between clean air and bad air, how scientists measure it and how
will you know whether the air in your area is good or not?
So, to measure the purity of air, scientists use
the air quality index AQI scale, which is a scale from 0-500 where fewer
numbers indicate less pollution and more numbers indicate more air pollution
Now to measure this AQI, more than two air quality
stations are established in each state. Well, with the help of a special setup
called a beta attenuation monitor, these stations do
Suck the air of that particular city and then
count the toxic particles from them and estimate the air quality of that area.
Basically, this beta attenuation monitor has a
flashlight that emits beta radiations and there is a filter and a detector in
front of it.
Only PM 2.5 i.e. particles smaller than 2.5
micrometers are allowed inside and then when beta radiations collide with these
particles and scatter
And if the detectors are not able to reach, then
the detector identifies and calculates how much concentration of PM 2.5
particles in the air is once this concentration is detected.
Then that air is scored on a scale of 0-500 which
is called AQI score and hence the measurement of PM 2.5 particles is very
important because it spreads air pollution majorly
And they are also very toxic for our health, if
suppose the volume of 1 cubic meter i.e. washing machine has less than 12
micrograms of particles, then the AQI score will be between 0-50 and the air
quality will be considered good
If it is 12-35 micrograms of particles then the
score will be 51-100 and if the air quality is considered moderate, if there
are 35-55 micrograms of particles then the score will be 101-150 And
such air starts showing its effect on sensitive people. That is, if you have
any underlying respiratory problems like asthma, then it will start to
aggravate. So the score
will go beyond 150
If you are
living in Mumbai, then on an average everyday you will run across 2-3
cigarettes and in daily Gurgaon then these estimates on 4-5 then still on the
lower side.
According to Dr.
Arvind Kumar who is the Chairman of the Institute of Chest Surgery and Lung
Transplantation, an AQI of 300-350 is equivalent to smoking 10-15 cigarettes daily for
many months AQI touches this easily. In the practice of Dr. Arvind Kumar, he
said that when he opens his chest for a lung operation. They only see
black lungs. In today's era, even newborn babies can be easily categorized as
smokers. In today's world, even newborn babies can be easily categorized as
smokers. And if Sili is
not taken care of, then in the future it can bring a huge burden to our medical
system because today our medical system is not ready for this.
Today there is a
huge shortage of government doctors in India. In fact, according to the recent
official reports of the Health Ministry, there is an 80% shortage of specialist
doctors in India We got an idea about how big a threat air pollution is in
India, but after all, this PM 2.5 particle C is especially so dangerous.
Why is it that
the quality of air is measured on the basis of these majors, then look at all
the compounds that are toxic to our body which burn petrol, diesel, coal,
rubber, and plastic.
They are mostly
2.5 micrometers or smaller, due to which they are easily released inside our
body.
Penetrate and
Damage causes
lung and breast cancer, respiratory diseases, and even deformities in children, Lancet research has found that between 1990 and 2013, 188 Air pollution
played a major role behind 1 third cases of heart attacks in countries. In
developing countries such as India, on average 30% of heart attacks are
triggered by air pollution. 30%
Can you believe
it? For example, research from McGill University revealed that for every 10
microgram per meter cube PM2.5 increases, the risk of heart disease increases
by 12-14%. So for example
Mumbai has an
average of 55 mcgs. This increases the chances of heart disease by 50%. It also
doubles in Delhi. A research by Gold et al found that air pollution caused many
of the deaths
Almost 70% of
deaths are due to heart diseases. While the remaining 28% have been caused by
respiratory problems only. And therefore the biggest threat of air pollution is
to the heart. Lungs
There is a
bigger danger than this. And in developing countries like India, PM2.5 levels
are 10 corners of the US National Ambient Air Quality Standards. For example,
take a look at the US city of New York. Which is also quite densely populated
like Delhi and
Mumbai. But, right now there is a live AQI running around 20. Which means air
quality is very clean. Due to air pollution, the plaque in the arteries of our
heart starts to build up rapidly.
And they become
premature calcifying, that is, hard, which triggers the previously mentioned
heart problems. Lung cancer is the next big threat. In India today, patients
traveling with asthma are more than the rest of the world.
Most of all.
Inhaling polluted air damages lungs in very simple words. Mutations in
repairing genes such as epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR gene
They come and
they start growing uncontrollably abnormally. Due to this, abnormality starts
coming in the lungs and they are not able to work properly. If they are not
able to supply oxygen properly, then oxygen
It will not take
much time for a heart stroke or brain stroke to come due to lack of heart
stroke. And that's why they bring with them many more problems. Even Indians
are being dumped due to air pollution. Because we have to
There were many
researches that proved the harmful effects of air pollution on the brain. Can
you believe it? A 2012 study proved that children in polluted cities had lower
general memory scores.
and in
intelligence tests. A study by the University of Washington discovered that if
children of 2-4 years of age are exposed to polluted environments, then it
affects their brain development. and
In the case of
adults, a Danish study found that high levels of air pollution exposure
increased the rate of depression in adults by 50%, personality disorders by
162%, and the risk of schizophrenia.
Increased by
148%. It affects the brain in this way. Even in the organs of unborn babies in
polluted cities, nanoparticles of pollution have been found which can improve
their normal development.
The effects are
and can create complications even before they are born. The simple mechanism
behind brain damages is that the harmful particles of air pollution cross the
blood-brain barrier and create chronic inflammation Which together with these
particles damages neurons. Now in addition to the toxic effects of these heart,
brain and lungs, air pollution is linked to almost every type of serious health
conditions. as high blood
pressure, diabetes, again through inflammation, cholesterol issues, kidney or
liver function, cancers and much more. This is indeed the silent killer who is
killing millions of Indians every year. But unfortunately
The reason that
death due to air pollution will never come in anyone's death certificate is because over a period of time it is killing a person from the inside. University of
Chicago
According to the
calculation, if the air pollution of Delhi and other cities in the north of India comes according to WHO standards, then every person's life will
increase by at least 10 years. i.e. in short air pollution
The average life
expectancy of people in these cities is reducing by 10 years. So why are the
conditions so bad in India, especially in the North? We live in India and
our family
How can we avoid
this serious problem? So, there is a very unique problem in the North,
especially in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and surrounding areas. Delhi looks like
something like it mostly before November. But there again
It starts
looking like this in November and December. Why? Well, a few years ago, rice
and wheat were cultivated together in Punjab and Haryana. And in this process,
ground water was completely depleted. So the governments there
The BJP passed a
law that rice will be cultivated from May to October i.e. in the rains and
wheat cultivation will be done only after that from November to January. Now,
as you can see transitioning from rice to wheat
Farmers were
getting only one month.groundwater
Apart from this,
Delhi is the national capital and comes in the heart of India, so the traffic
here is also much higher than in other cities, leading to more
pollution.
Now talking
about the rest of the Indian cities, there are three different major reasons in
their case, the first is construction. According to the Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways, in the last 10 years, national highways in India have
increased by 60%
Along with this,
the work of the metro is also going on in the wake-up, smart cities are being
built, monuments are being built, bridges are being built and where there is
nothing left, there are ways to lay underground cables and pipelines and LPG
lines.
Now according to
the Environment Protection Agency, the heavy vehicles that are used in the construction
and the tars that are melted are made from the steel rods that are made.
Every year there
are about 25-40% more carbon emissions and therefore this major contributor is
low AQI in developing cities of India then another reason is vehicles
According to a
report, today there are almost as many vehicles in our country as there are in
the entire European Continent and according to the International Energy Agency,
air quality is only due to road transport alone.
About 20-30%
gets spoiled. They say that these vehicles release the most toxic chemicals
like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons, which again cause PM 2.5
If we come under
the category, then all the vehicles in our country are making the air of this
country toxic and then come to the third and final major reason which is
indoor air pollution so much development in India.
Even after this,
in about 10 crore homes, food is still cooked on the stove and as we know earlier, wood has to be burnt to light the stove, which is like carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides.
Many chemicals
are released, now the WHO says that due to this indoor air pollution alone,
about 3-4 lakh people die prematurely every year. So just imagine this indoor
air
How much contribution
does pollution have in India's low air quality? Now yes, PM Ujjwala Yojana is
definitely trying to solve this problem but it is going to take a lot of time.
Indian government
There is
absolutely a need to pass a clean air act like the USA, which they passed in
the 1990s, and since then if you look at the air quality of the USA, today other
developed countries around the world
That's much
better. As you can see here, even their most polluted city does not cross 100, and heavily populated cities like New York also keep around 20. Personally, I
strongly feel the right
Clean air should
be the fundamental right of every human being. Like clean water. Because
without water, we can survive for 7 days. But without air, we can't last 10
minutes. So such fundamentals
Why is the thing
not being taken seriously? There are extremely few people who would have any
idea of its seriousness. And by doing so, we are playing with our own health.
We have become so entrenched in our daily lives that we
You have
forgotten this simple thing that
If there is
life, then there is a world. And own
There are some
major solutions to avoid killers that you can follow to protect yourself from
them. First of all, we should see at our level what is the AQI of the area in
which we live?
If the AQI of
your area is above 125, then you should wear N95 masks as much as possible in
public, if there is no mask, then you can also use a simple handkerchief.
This simple step
will filter out 95% of the particles present in the air, including PM 2.5 particles.
Then if your house is road-facing or you live near a highway or a factory
So you can
invest in a simple home air purifier or keep the air of your home clean, then
if you travel in the car from Let's Office, you can work with your
colleagues in the same car.
This will save
fuel money and reduce pollution. In general, as much as possible, avoid
unnecessarily private vehicles and prefer public transport, then in your home
and in your society.
Plant plants as
much as possible, and increase the greenery because plants purify the air naturally
by soaking the air pollutants in the air for the Parali problem of North
India, it is very good and
There is also a
profitable solution, it will benefit every farmer, if you are a farmer or know
a farmer family who is still burning stubble, then this simple idea will do
wonders in Punjab Haryana.
Some farmers are
collecting stubble and selling it to their nearby biogas plants and paper mills
and earn a profit of about 7-8 lakh rupees annually, that is, about 60-70
thousand per month.
And that too
from total waste and creating sustainable energy, if every farmer starts doing
this, then the problem of air pollution in North India will end in 2-3 years.
If we can raise
it, then why can't we change the country only with the contribution of everyone that will change what you want to see in the world?
But for this, every Indian is the first
It is very
important to be aware that every Indian will have to understand the seriousness
of this problem and only then positive change will be possible I strongly
feel it should be our duty for the sake of our health and society.
We cannot always
depend on the authorities or the government, how many lives are lost all the
time due to epidemics and diseases that could have been prevented if there was
awareness and education.
Today, modern
science gives us the privilege that by reading scientific research and
publications, we can give better direction to our lives and empower every
aspect of our life
And so my final
message would be to share this video with our near and dear ones. We have to
inspire every Indian to be aware of his health and science and also to perform
his social duties.
They have to be
encouraged and only then positive change will be able to come. Remember, if
there is science, then there is progress and scientific thinking is the
thinking of progress and if you are in medical science, then there is progress.
Want to
contribute actively
Stay healthy
everyone and take care, Jai Hind
Team Yuva Aaveg-
Mayank
